Park service rejects plan for Cliff Park Inn

The National Park Service on Thursday turned down a proposal to operate the Cliff Park Inn offered by the Valor Clinic Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to help homeless veterans.

BETH BRELJE

The National Park Service on Thursday turned down a proposal to operate the Cliff Park Inn offered by the Valor Clinic Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to help homeless veterans.

The historic Pike County restaurant, inn and golf course closed in October 2011 when the former lessee left.

Since then, the National Park Service published a request for proposals seeking an operator to lease the property, make $1 million in repairs and run the business.

The National Park Service spends $10,000 a month just to maintain the buildings and golf course, spokeswoman Kathleen Sandt said.

Valor Clinic Foundation President Mark Baylis of Chestnuthill Township has tried to rally public support for a plan to house at the inn homeless veterans who would learn work skills by operating the business and pay a fee to live there.

Baylis envisioned an army of volunteers making repairs to the leaking roof at the inn, and donations from the public to get the project going. Baylis could not be immediately reached Thursday for comment.

"While I have a lot of sympathy for their mission, they did not demonstrate any financial capability to make the repairs or operate the golf course," Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Superintendent John Donahue said. "They said they could raise money, but we need someone with demonstrated business history."

The request for proposals asked applicants to show a proven track record of business history with financial documents showing where the money would come from.

The Valor Clinic Foundation was incorporated as a nonprofit in January 2012. Donahue sent the foundation a letter and placed a call to Baylis on Thursday.

"We told him we have other buildings. Perhaps something else would suit their needs," Donahue said.

A group of restaurateurs visited the Cliff Park Inn many times with contractors, making estimates, and it seemed they were going to make a proposal, Donahue said.

But they had a restaurant in Staten Island, N.Y., and were affected by Hurricane Sandy, drawing their interest away from the Cliff Park Inn.

Proposals to run the inn and golf course will continue to be taken. And there is another possibility: The park service regional leasing office is investigating options for opening only the golf course in the spring.

"We're going to see if we can get those golfers back out there," Donahue said.